My mother is now registered blind due to mac but she still has a fair bit of sight because, for some strange reasons, one of the 4 early pioneers of treatment has his office a few blocks from her. She's had most of the advanced treatments as soon as they've come available. In actual fact, the most recent injections (can't remember the name) have even improved her sight somewhat. Thank heavens she was also a teacher in Ontario; the Women's Teachers Federation had a crackin' good health scheme, on top of the Provincial scheme, so they've paid for some quite pricey jabs.

I now hear - just the week before last - that there's been some new stem cell research that offers hope of actually turning the degeneration back. I think it's been developed by some British scientists and the news item was that a big pharmaceutical firm has now taken it on for development as a commercial, and available, proposition. Probably too late for my mother but not for people from here on.

As an aside, macular degeneration is considered to be a smoking-related condition apparently. My mother never smoked a cigarette in her life. My father was a 2 pack a day man, however. Anyone who wants to make me very cross just has to say that there's no such thing as passive smoking effects ...

sian